I work on a lot of things now, and they are all interconnected in many ways, although it’s not always obvious. What holds all of the things I work on together is the principle that the public should have the power to make decisions for itself, without intermediary, and that structures and places that allow and facilitate the necessary discussion and decisionmaking should be free, and protected by law.

I want to write about the casino fight because, as with so many things, the public conversation has become a little amnesiac about what has really happened here.

http://www.whyy.org/support/statefunding.html

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How do you value WHYY?

Hello, I'm Jerry Sweeney, Chairman of WHYY, and I want to take a moment to share with you some important news.

Whether you are a parent who values WHYY as a safe haven for children, a news junkie who can't get enough of the information we provide, or an arts & culture fan who turns to WHYY for enriching programs, we need your assistance.

As you know, we face very challenging economic times. Over the years, we have been fortunate that Governor Ed Rendell and the state Legislature have been very supportive of WHYY and our programming franchise.

This year however, the Governor has proposed a state budget in which he has had to make some very hard choices. Unfortunately one of those decisions includes taking out all funding for public television in Pennsylvania, including $1.1million in funding for WHYY.

Link here.

G-d-it.

When are we going to figure it out???

REPUBLICANS ARE NOT RUNNING THE COUNTRY ANYMORE!!! !@%^!&%!&(^

They fucked the states, they fucked the future, they screwed over schools and educational infrastructure. These people do not seem to realize that America hates them.

They will continue to lose seats in Congress.... but in the meantime, they are going to blow up our country.

And we only really have the Democratic party to blame.

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February 7, 2009, 5:36 PM

What the centrists have wrought

I’m still working on the numbers, but I’ve gotten a fair number of requests for comment on the Senate version of the stimulus.

The short answer: to appease the centrists, a plan that was already too small and too focused on ineffective tax cuts has been made significantly smaller, and even more focused on tax cuts.

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How should we replace the sheep?

By HANNAH MILLER

THIS IS a letter to the people of Philadelphia who don't have power and feel at the mercy of those who do.
Over the last few months, it's been impossible to avoid the drumbeat of fear over the millions of people losing jobs, of the largest U.S. companies possibly closing, of thousands of new applications for unemployment.

Even if you haven't lost anything, or didn't have a lot to lose in the first place, you're probably worried, confused and hoping that the folks in charge come up with a really smart plan.

Well, I have some bad news.

That's not only not going to work, but it's a bit of a cop-out on your part.

Our country is based on "Rule by the people." That's what democracy means. But it doesn't simply mean that you show up to vote once in a while, and then go back to playing with your Wii for the four years in between.

Free of political content

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Alliance for Justice's new project to assist nonprofits in certain states (including PA) ... please spread far and wide....

Here's the link and info:

http://www.afj.org/for-nonprofits-foundations/state-resources/

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State Resources

Member Login
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These resources are available for free to nonprofit organizations. An annual subscription fee applies to all law firms. If you are interested in accessing these resources, please request a pass code.

What level of lobbying triggers registration and reporting requirements in Arizona?

What is the current definition of electioneering communications in Colorado?

Can a 501(c)(4) make a contribution to a candidate in New Mexico? When does a 501(c)(3) organization that is working to support a ballot measure have to register with the state in Wisconsin?

http://whyy.org/blogs/itsourcity/2009/01/21/the-mayor-the-citizens-the-b...

The mayor, the citizens, the budget - Take 2

Wednesday, January 21st, 2009 at 6:55 pm - by Chris Satullo. Filed under: Citizens, Community Calender, Economy, Protesters, budget.

A new year, a new budget gap.

The welts from its last round of budget encounters with the people of Philadelphia still sting, but the Nutter Administration still must deliver some more bad fiscal news. As Mayor Michael Nutter announced a week ago, continued weakness in the local economy and city tax receipts will force a new round of budget cuts as big as the last one. The target is to close a second $1 billion shortfall that could develop over the next five years.

After being blistered by public anger last year over how it chose to close the first gap and how it communicated its decisions, the administration seems willing to try something different in the way of civic engagement.

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All at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/aay-2055/

AWESOME!

Public hearing on ethics and campaign-finance reform:

A mayor's task force will be wrestling with four topics: campaign-finance reform, outside employment by city employees, political-activity restrictions, ethics/conflict-of-interest rules; and lobbyist registration. The hearing begins at 10 a.m. at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, 1101 Arch St.

Witnesses will have up to five minutes to testify, or they can submit written testimony. Preregister, or send written testimony, by e-mailing Michael Schwartz at schwartzma@pepperlaw.com, by fax at 800-615-2315, or by mail to 3000 Two Logan Square, 18th and Arch streets, Phila. PA 19103. *

This is from the Daily News's "Quid Pro Yo" editorial today:

http://www.philly.com/philly/opinion/20090107_QUID_PRO_YO_.html

As reported in the SF Examiner, SF is instituting a Branch Improvement Project for their libraries currently, despite facing a budget shortfall.

Last month, during the financial crisis, the city realized that their stipulation that the branches be environmentally friendly required more money, so they passed a bond measure for their library branches.

This is a question not of whether to cut... but how.

Since the Mayor's stated goals are to reduce crime in this city and to provide afterschool programs, I don't understand how permanently closing 11 or more library branches is supposed to achieve those aims. In fact, it is the exact opposite of what we should be doing.

This should be the time to increase funding for libraries. The cuts are so much worse for the Free Library than any other department in the city. It is counterintuitive.

For anyone who is sitting out this library thing because your branch is staying open, you need to read this.

It is now an openly discussed fact amongst a lot of librarians that these library cuts are Round One of two rounds, and that if Nutter is successful in closing these 11 branches, he will move onto another round of branch closings. I do not know where, and I do not know precisely when, but I have heard this from many people within the system. It is expected, and is (I suspect) why ACSFME has joined the lawsuit.

I did not support Michael Nutter for Mayor so he could close dozens of libraries in the poorest neighborhoods of our city. That is inhumane and wrong.

So tonight, around midnight, our part of the earth starts tilting on its axis back towards the sun. Even the days may get colder, there will be more light. That's what the solstice means. It's a kind of celestial tipping point.

Tonight is also the party thrown by Philadelphia's amazing photographer JJ Tiziou for Casino-Free Philadelphia on the second anniversary of the Gaming Board awarding the licenses to Foxhouse. I remember where I was that day (it did get real dark real early) and I remember what it felt like for a lot of people. It seems like ages ago. But the light came back.

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This is a picture of the entrance of the Carnegie library in West Philadelphia:

1. Next Saturday there's a dance party for the libraries. It's called Bibliodiscotheque! Now we're talkin'. It's at the National Mechanics Bar at 22 S. 3rd Street. It's FREE but donations are requested. Go look at www.libraryfriends.info.

2. This weekend is the Friends of the Free Library FORTY PERCENT off everything in the store sale. It's the best used bookstore in the galaxy. It's called the Book Corner, on 20th Street just behind the Central Branch.

All the money goes to the Friends of the FL! And if this year has proved one thing, it's that the Free Library needs friends now more than ever...http://www.libraryfriends.info/book-corner/

3. Philly for Change will be having cell phone banks to encourage our own membership to get involved. Please come.

4-8 p.m, Sunday, December 14 and 5:30-8:30 p.m. Wednesday, December 17
both at Leroy's Showcase Lounge (upstairs), 4912 Baltimore Ave.